It's my birthday and I'll DLR if I wanna - a PTR

[Canadian Harmony]

Yes, I'm going back again!! I'm so excited I just can't wait.

Two years ago, I decided to celebrate my 50th birthday in my happy place - DLR! I invited all my friends over the age of 21 and no one came with me. BUT, a friend from San Diego came up specifically for one day and night for my birth DAY, and we had a blast! If you're interested, here's the TR: https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...o-like-my-own-company-again-finished.3555305/

My birthday is the middle of October so I knew I was in for a MHP and lots of fun. And fun was had! I felt weird at first, but by day 3 I was in a groove! I managed 2 MHP and had to only worry about myself for the first time in 14 years. It. Was. AWESOME!

Then last year I was looking at everyone's fun time during Halloween Time and was kicking myself I didn't go back, especially since DCA was all decked out too. So I decided then and there that I would indeed return for this year's birthday.

My kids, 11 and 13, were upset that I once again said it was going to be an over-21 party, but since we just went at Christmas (and it was Faaaaabulous!) and we're going back to SoCal again NEXT April for Easter/Spring Break, they can suck it up. Besides, they just want Lego, so I've promised them at least two cool Lego sets from the Lego store. They're okay with going every second year, and I'm okay with going EVERY year, thankyouverymuch!

So this year I have a friend who is coming with me! She is a huge Disney fan too and is actually going at the end of June with her Mum! So she's getting a double shot of Disney this year, lucky her. I'm still trying to get other friends to join in but even with just my one friend, we're going to have fun.

I have just ordered my 3 day Park Hopper from Airmiles and I'll be upgrading that to an AP upon arrival.

We are staying at the Desert Inn & Suites - her first time so close to the parks. She usually stays further away and takes the ART, so I think this will spoil her being able to be so close to the hotel.

I'm going to get our flights (she's going to fly with me) in May when my budget is more flush. We're going to fly WestJet this time around instead of Delta. Neither of us is crazy about connecting in Seattle, so we decided to spend the extra $100 for the privilege. She usually flies into LAX, but we're going to Santa Ana. I think she'll love the smaller airport and how much quicker it is to get to the hotel.

We're planning on hitting at least one MHP. My friend hasn't gone to one yet, so this will be fun for her. Last time, I spent the first party meeting all the characters and the second one riding all the rides. This time I'll go with whatever my friend wants to do, but we both want to catch the Parade for sure.

We also want to do the Pixar Parade meal, birthday drinks at Trader Sam's, a birthday meal at Steakhouse 55 (we debated on Napa Rose but decided SH55 had more things we liked on the menu to choose from), all the rides, meet Black Panther (squeeeeee), check out the new Pixar Pier area, and shop. *whew*! It's going to be a busy 4 days I think!

One of the girls at work went to DLR recently and she's selling me her gift card that still has about $63USD on it for $55CAD! Awesome score! I'll have a bit of money to spend - maybe enough for my birthday dinner?!

It's not going to be an inexpensive trip, especially since our dollar is falling faster than the end of Splash Mountain, but it's going to be so worth it!

As things progress, I'll post more. Summer is coming and that means camping with our trailer! We're planning a week at the end of June about 6 hours drive north, then every second weekend throughout July and August, and at the end of August, we're taking her on a long haul through British Columbia out to Edmonton and Calgary and back before school starts up again in September. I think we'll have a lot of family fun time exploring our beautiful country. (Thankfully Calgary has a Disney store we might just make a pit-stop at!)

YAY! It's getting real and I'm getting REALLY excited!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

w00t!! My Park Hopper has made it to my hands and is safely set inside my lanyard holder thingy! YAY!

I may have two more people joining my friend J and I. D is in the musical I'm currently in rehearsals for with me, and her sister seems interested too, so that's awesome! If they're interested, they'll need to make reservations, unless I can change mine to a 'family' room. It's all well and good sleeping in the same bed as my husband or a friend I've known since childhood, but I'm a little weird about sharing a bed with a grown woman I've only known for max 2 years (J)or less (D).

I just finished my taxes last night so if it is accepted by CRA (ugh, I loathe them) I'll be able to book our flights sooner than I had expected, and then it'll be REALLY REAL!

I think I should make a list of the places I've eaten at already and then those I haven't eaten at and try to aim for those places throughout the parks (especially for QS). I know J wants to try Bengal BBQ when she's there in June, and I have only had one thing there, so maybe that should be on my 'try again' list...!

Where are your favourite places to grab a quick, nutritious snack while in the parks?

 

[krisb1969]

Hi! I'm trying to pull together a trip for February, 2019 over my 50th birthday as well. I was just at DW in November, 2017 and it seems soon to go again, but I so miss the place!!!!

 

[Jaina]

Sounds fun! I hope it all works out the way you hope! One of our favorite healthy-ish snack spots is definitely the Bengal BBQ! I will try to think if there are any others... most of the other snacks I go for aren't that healthy... (like corn dogs!!) I liked the Lucky Fortune Cookery (I think) over in the Fisherman's Wharf area had some healthy options and was quick service. There are fruit carts, but for those prices, we bring our own in...

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I like the food in the Parks, but fruit - well, it's the same everywhere, so totally not worth the prices they ask!

Quick update: Now we're just down to J and I. And we're okay with that. Our list of things to do is long but fun:

The grand circle tour
Guardians After Dark
Dinner somewhere snazzy for my birthday
Trader Sams and all the drinking of the things
All the rides
All the rides at night
Drawing at the Animator's Studio
Eating all the food (mostly places we haven't been to)
Probably a character meal - we're thinking Plaza Inn
All the photos
All the character meets we can get in
A MHP

We're so excited! I'm expecting money for the majority of my trip to come in FINALLY before the 15th, so once the credit card has the funds on it, then flights, MHP tix, and the tour will be purchased.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Things are shaping up nicely for my trip. I have two different girlfriends who are 90% sure they're coming, so that'll be great! I've asked them to tell me asap so I can change the hotel room to a Parlour room.

My money is taking soooooo looooong to come in! And then it'll seem like another year before it's put onto the credit card so that I can use it! I hope the MHP we want to attend on the 12th isn't sold out by the time the money is on the card.

I saw those darling daughter dresses for the adult ones and I have a feeling I'll be bringing a couple of those back for my kids, if they have their way. Good thing I'm bringing the large suitcase with me.

Now if only that money would arrive. It's like watching a pot boil.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

My money came in!

Money has been placed on the credit card and by next Tuesday, I will have the flight paid for, and a gift card for the MHP tix I will be getting that day.

The rest of my gift cards will have to wait until the exchange is better than $1.32/$1.33 before I buy them. The reason I buy gift cards is so that I don't have to pay the exchange fees like I would on my credit card. So, I'll have one for meals, (two actually because the $450 I'm budgeting is over $500CAD), two for the AP upgrade, one for souvies, and one for the Grand Circle Tour I'm going to take as my birthday 'treat'.

The hotel is now the Clarion because it's half the price of the Desert Inn and according to my friend, it's the same amount of walking (except with a tram ride to the TS parking lot). My one friend who wants to come has to ask her new boss, but she's looking at coming on the 12th and meeting us there. If so, she'll need a MHP ticket too, so I hope she hears back by the 12th so she's not without a ticket. Because of the price increase to $115, with exchange, that's $152 for us. Each. Ouch! But, my friend J has never been to a MHP so she'll consider it worth it. I'm going to get as much candy as I can for that price!

I'm looking forward to he whole decorating and events in DCA too, and as a first-time AP holder, checking out the special things for holders in the parks and at the MHP. I decided to upgrade on the first day in order to save money right from the start.

I'll probably be back next week to confirm the flight! So happy this is finally starting to happen!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Wheeee! Flight is paid for, and MHP ticket is purchased! I'm so excited! Yay!!

 

[Jaina]

Wheeee! Flight is paid for, and MHP ticket is purchased! I'm so excited! Yay!!

Yay!!!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Well time is getting closer! My friend is going again in August, and we've decided to stay at the Clarion. She said the tram to the gate is right across the street and it'll save us about half of what the DI&S costs.

On "other than Dis" trips news, I've now paid for accommodation and flight to Hawaii (Oahu) in February. The kids are pretty excited, as am I. I may not have time to hit Aulani for a visit, but we can try to pop in maybe.

I'm checking my ap every week so I know what day I can book our Lamplight meal and my Grand Circle Tour. I'm still trying to figure out a nice place to have my birthday dinner. I've eaten at Catal so I'd like to try something different. Any suggestions?

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Well the time is drawing closer now and we're pretty excited!

Meals so far: first night Lamplight Lounge, my birthday meal at Carthay, a breakfast with Minnie the next morning. We have seen photos of the treats and I think one 'dinner' is going to be eating as many of them as we can

Things we're going to do: ALL of the rides, and I'm booking myself the Grand Circle Tour on Thursday for my birthday morning, in honour of my dad (he was a train guy). I'm not sure if Fantasmic is showing, but if it is, we want to do a meal for that. I'd like to do the WOC dessert party again, but I'm not sure I can afford it for the two of us... we'll see.

We were hoping for a couple more people to join us, but even with just the two of us, we have been plotting our meals and rides, our shopping (jerseys and Pandora and dresses...) and our Halloween Party outfit.

I'm so excited!!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Less than a month to go! My Grand Circle Tour is booked and I’m really excited for it.

I’ve canceled my Carthay reservation and replaced it with WCT as it has more choices for us and if we’re lucky, we’ll be close to a good spot for parade watching after we’re done. But I still need to hit Carthay for a drink to get the ice cube.

My friend and I have a huge list of all the things we want to get through - winged photo ops, meeting rare characters, jungle maps, and high score attempts on Buzz.

We have our costumes pretty much set and I have my packing list written out. My autograph books are small sketch books which are too large for my super cute villains purse, do I need to figure out how I’m going to bring them with me in the parks. Looks like I’ll need to get a small backpack for them while I’m there. I have specific cards from a scrapbooking collection I’m bringing with me for some special autographs too.

Now it’s the saving all the money for all the things time. I’m holding off until the last minute to get my gift cards because the exchange rate is so terrible right now. Hopefully things will improve in the next three weeks or so.

Our dedicated schedule so far is now:
Arrive at the parks on the 11th around 4. Upgrade to AP ( me for sure, friend maybe). Head to anywhere! Dinner at Lamplight for 7:15.

We’re doing the MHP on the 12th. The day will mostly be unscheduled, but we have certain rides we want to do and as my friend hasn’t been to a party before I’ll make sure she gets to see all the characters. My kids have asked for tons of candy so I’ll be getting lots for them.

The 13th is my birthday!! I start with the Grand Circle Tour and we have dinner at WCT at 7:10. We want to see the PTN parade that evening if possible. Of course at some point we’ll do Guardians after Dark

The 14th we start with breakfast with Minnie at the Plaza Inn and go from there.

We are picked up by our shuttle at noon on the 15th, so we’ll have a few hours left to finish rides again and get those last minute gifts (Lego and Pandora and Dress Shop, and WOD!!) we may have forgotten.

I think we’re going to have a lot of fun on our trip and every day my friend and I are getting more and more e cited for it.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

The days are getting closer!! In 13 days my friend and I will be having the time of our LIVES! The flight is quite early, but we'll be sleeping the way down because we plan on doing open to close until Monday. Three full and two half days.

My friend is also getting her AP, as am I, so we're going to have even MORE fun doing the AP photos, the AP trails... Wheeeee!

Our schedule is shaping up to a lot of fun as we're aiming to get as many popcorn buckets as we can, ride our favourites more than once, try as many Halloween treats as we possibly can, get all the photopass magic shots, see the MHP parade, get all the ice cubes and straw clips and pins...

We're very excited and keep trying to find new words to convey our feelings of joy, excitement, happiness and fun. But we're running out.

I think we're going to cry when we walk through the gates with our very first APs!